In The Mind Monsters Hide
by StarshipSailor
Summary: Jim's past comes back to haunt him and the crew learn there is more to their captain than meets the eyes...And what has Starfleet been up to now. Ok so this will eventually be J/S when I finally get time too make it happen.
1. Chapter 1

***Disclaimer: I own NOTHING of STAR TREK old or new! I do however own Starfleet socks! Captain gold, science blue and...bad luck red??**

Hey ok so here is the start of a multi-chapter story I've started. I only have the two chapters done and I'm working really hard to juggle uni and this, but i'd like to know if you think I should continue this?? I mean I'm going to anyway but I'd like to know how it's being received.

I'm going to say **read at own risk** just because of some **bloody** bit that are in these two chapters. Other than that though there is just a little swearing ^_^ Er...I don't know how well I explain things so once you've read the two, if you don't get something then feel free to ask, I did make it pretty straight forward though I think. Well hopefully happy reading...!

******

Jim tossed and turned in bed, sweat dripped off him and his pants were ragged and painful. He gripped the sheets and they tore under his fists…

… "_Come play with us little boy"… "It's ok she's still warm, just take a bite"… "Don't be afraid, we'll look after you now."…_

"No!" He gasped, sitting up and frantically looking around the room. There was nothing there. No hauntingly quiet hallways or blood stained rooms. There was no whisper of the monsters as they ran barefoot around the small town, no low growls as they were each found and pick off one by one.

Jim fumbled for the lights and jumped up out of bed. He calmed ever so slightly with the feel of the ship softly vibrating, causing a soft hum throughout the ship. The captain pulled on pulled on a pair of sweatpants and ignored the rest of his appearance before he left his room and down to McCoy's cabin.

"Yeah yeah. I'm coming. Who ever it is you better have a damn good-Jim?" The blond was still panting softly and he kept squeezing his eyes shut and then blinking them.

"Bones…I."

"Sickbay. Now." The doctor grabbed Jim by the elbow and foot marched him down the corridors. They had been through this before, he knew what was up with Jim.

"Hold on Jim. I'll get you sorted." Bones mumbled to his best friend. Jim sighed slightly and relaxed a little, still blinking his eyes.

When they got to Sickbay McCoy ordered everybody out and he would call them back when he was finished, he didn't offer an explanation or excuse. The doctor turned back to Jim who had already sat himself down on a bio-bed.

"How bad is it this time? I thought I put you on the strong stuff." Bones leaned on the bed next to where Jim sat and he could see the flinching of the stomach muscles and Jim's trouble swallowing. He could also see the fear in his eyes.

"It's really bad…I feel like I'm about to throw up, my head is pounding, my skin feels like its crawling and my whole mouth is killing me." Jim whispered through he pain. McCoy sighed and walked into his office. He came back carrying a simple metal box that looked a few years old. He unlocked it with a code and thumbprint and took out two test tubes, one filled with a thick dark substance and the other with a watery pale substance, that were safely secured in the padding and a small vial that fit into a hypo spray.

With practiced ease he mixed one part thick dark red with two parts watery pale green into the small vial, attached it to the hypo and then looked questioningly at Jim. The captain sighed and nodded tot the man.

There was a soft hiss as the compound was pushed through Jim's system and then they waited for a few moments. Jim's stomach stopped flinching as much and his breathing came back under his control.

"How you doing there kid?"

"The headache is going away…my stomach still feels tender but I don't feel like throwing up…my skin just feels all tight now. I'm ok." Jim slouched on the bed and ran shaking hands through his hair.

"The nightmares started a week ago…I though I had it under control Bones." The doctor stood up in front of Jim and wrapped his arms around the younger man, Jim held him with tight fists in his shirt.

The way Jim said 'Bones' in these instances always had the whisper of 'dad' in them. It was times like this that McCoy realized Jim really did have no one but his best friend. Jim was going through some awful, twisted stuff and he had no one there for him. So Bones would hug the kid close and let him know that there was someone here, someone he could talk to and trust to help him, someone to keep him from falling into the darkness. It's why he had never reported Jim to Starfleet and helped him acquire the illegal drug that helps him.

"You know as well as I do that there is no real control things. We have to cope and work around it Jim." The blond gave a shuddering sigh and let go of the doctor. He straightened up and nodded to McCoy.

"Thanks Bones. I'm…I'm sorry I had to get you up and everything." Jim jumped off the bed and watched as McCoy tided the box back away in it's secret compartment and came back out to join the captain.

"I'm just glad you did and didn't try to cope on your own with it. You need to rest up though, your going to have to be the bold as brass, cocky bastard you always are tomorrow."

The laughed and joked as they walked back down to the Officers Sleeping Deck and split up to go to their own cabins, with Jim finally promising the doctor he would rest up and not just sit and wait for his shift to begin.

* * *

The next morning they were closer to their latest mission. They were heading out to Starbase 8, since the Enterprise was the closest ship in range. The base was having computer problems and there were reports of medical ships being attacked. So they were to show up and fix the computer malfunctions as well as create a Starfleet presence so that who ever was attacking would realize what the consequences would be. It was just a bonus if they found who was raiding the medical ships in order to bring them before the Federation.

Jim sat in his chair, looked through and signed all the reports past to him and he gave his orders clearly and without his usual flare and friendly banter. This was a welcome relief to his yeoman who would often have to track him down and demand him to just sign them, but it was also unsettling to hear and see such rigidity in their bright and energetic captain. Even Spock found the bridge to hold a tense atmosphere; he stood from his station and walked over to stand by the captain's chair.

"Captain, is there something bothering you?"

Jim had been sat with his back straight and his legs crossed, one arm was resting on the arm of the chair and the other lay over his stomach. It was a pose the captain had never struck before, usually opting to slouch while nothing was gong on or a confident lounge when he was talking to Starfleet or enemies. Jim turned his head towards Spock and the Vulcan saw the blank look in the human's eyes, the control that was covering the face making him look all too serious of James Tiberius Kirk.

"No Mr. Spock, why do you ask?" His tone was conversational but the look in his eyes didn't change. Spock raised an eyebrow at the man.

"You're behavior today is noticeably different than previously, this is usually a sign that something prominent has happened in which it effects you now."

"One symptom is not enough to convict a man, and a change in attitude is hardly anything to be pressing me for. We will be arriving at Starbase 8 within the hour, is your science team and engineering ready?"

Spock was intrigued by the captain's use of words; Spock had not been convicting the captain of anything and he was not presuming the captain's quieter disposition was a symptom of anything. He was simply wondering if there was anything he could do to alleviate the problem if there was one such problem. Spock understood a dismissal when he heard one though and also understood the wish for privacy so he let the matter drop and focused on the captain's deflecting questions.

"We are ready to begin the repairs. Also, each department has created a list of supplies that could be procured from the Starbase." Jim nodded and Spock went back to his station. As he did the Vulcan saw the crew all exchange concerned and worried looks. It seemed Spock wasn't the only one to pick up on their captain's change in demeanor.

An hour later they had made contact with the base and were to dock at hatch seven. The commander was anxious to speak with the captain in private and Jim had assured the man that he would be leaving the ship to oversee the repairs and so would come to see him once the teams had been set up.

Jim took a deep breath before turning down the corner were hatch seven was. When he became captain of the Enterprise he was honored as well as terrified. He had gone back and reread every textbook that he had been given while on the command roll and looked back at all the dissertations written about being a captain, it had been a nerve wrecking couple of months for him. After a year though he felt more confident in the roll and his easygoing act isn't as fake as it was in the beginning, but after last nights scare he was on edge and his head was full of haunting pasts and long-ago pains. He didn't doubt his abilities but he also realized he didn't have the experience others had. He could tell by the look in the commander's face that something was wrong and that just set Jim tensing even more.

"Mr. Scott, have your men in the transporter room ready. Once we're on the Starbase Mr. Spock, yourself and Doctor McCoy will relay coordinates so that we can beam the supplies and equipment over rather then carting them all around the station, alright?"

"Aye captain, and then after we've done our part we can…perhaps take advantage of the bars for a while, before heading back to the ship?" His tone was hopeful and the slight joking would often follow with Kirk offering to look the other way as Scotty brought back some large bottles of substances he would later deny consuming with the Scots man.

"We've got a lot to do, if you have time then spend it how you want but I leave this dock no later then 1800 and the ship is coming with me, is that clear." Scotty looked surprised, but straightened and nodded his head.

"Aye captain." He replied looking between the First Officer and Chief Medical Officer who were also stood with him. They too looked surprised at the captain.

"Jim, you know it might be a good excuse to just take it easy and let the crew have a break. We've been doing missions none stop for three months now." Jim took a deep breath before looking at the doctor. He let the breath out slowly and nodded lightly.

"Alright, we'll leave in the morning. I don't want anyone sleeping off the ship though. I didn't like the way the commander sounded and I want to know everyone is safely on board…I'll also need to speak with you later Bones." It sounded like the doctor would be reprimanded for speaking out, and that's what Jim wanted Scotty and Spock to think. Bones knew that it was actually a sign for help. The doctor was immediately on edge, he knew this was about last night. He wondered if the dugs were dong what they were supposed to be or if he had mixed up a dud.

Jim waited while Spock had set up his team before having Vulcan follow him to the commander's office. As they entered the commander locked the door and seemed to flick off all the machinery. He then looked around before sitting in his chair.

"I apologize for my behavior gentlemen but the times call for it." Jim could feel a burning in his stomach; he had felt if often in the heat of the moment when they were under attack or running for their lives. It was his adrenaline building up. The only thing was they weren't in a fight or under attack …that meant the drug hadn't worked, or something worse.

"What exactly is going on here Dawson?" He asked trying to keep the feeling down.

Spock could see the captain's tense shoulders and wondered what could be causing them at this time. Jim was never usually one to stress so easily after all.

"Well…you see…people have been going missing." He said dejectedly, looking down at his desk and the Missing Officers Reports strewn over it.

Jim remembered back to the mission report they had been given and briefed on. Nowhere in there did it mention that people had gone missing.

"You didn't tell Starfleet?" It was a question but also a command to answer him. Spock was impressed with Kirk's ability to be intimidating even though his is quite a few years younger than commander Dawson.

"Look I didn't know it was such a big problem until last week and I had already reported the computer failures and the medical attacks so I figured I'd just tell you while you're here." The man ran his hand through his hair and sighed before pushing the PADDs out over the desk more so that the three officers before him could see how many people had gone missing.

"There's a total of eight gone missing. Two went missing the day I contacted Starfleet Command and one a day since then. I've put the base on a curfew and security are working round the clock but people keep going missing."

"Spock get a security team down here and post three with each team we have through the base." Spock immediately walked over to the other side of the room to contact the ship. Jim walked over the desk and looked through the PADDs.

Everyone who had gone missing had been reported so at different times and the last place they had been seen were different. Some people didn't show up for shifts, other were meant to meet up with people and never showed. Others never made it home from work. No one had known something was wrong until the people didn't show up to meetings or assigned places. Jim felt his adrenalin jump and he had to swallow and breath to get him under control.

"Eight people go missing for no reason and you didn't think it was time to call Starfleet?"

"It's not that simple! Every time someone goes missing we get a communication through saying that if I reported this to Starfleet they would kill the people who have been taken! We can translate them, they're all coded and in a different language to any we know. I can only hope that you can do something about this because I don't know what to do anymore." Jim looked over to Spock and the Vulcan nodded before flipping the communicator back open.

"Spock to Enterprise, come in Enterprise."

"Enterprise, Lieutenant Uhura here."

"Lieutenant you skills are required, beam down to these coordinated immediately."

"aye, aye commander."

While Spock called for Uhura Jim turned back to the commander. The man looked shocked at how well the men seemed to know each other and turned back to Jim when the man started walking closer to his desk again.

"You need to bring up those communications for my Lieutenant to work on." Dawson nodded and began working his computer and brining up the transmissions.

Jim walked over to Spock when the man had finished speaking with Uhura and they both turned away from the commander.

"Thoughts mister Spock?" The Vulcan raised an eyebrow and tilted his head slightly.

"Insufficient data to formulate a hypothesis captain. Although it does seem that all the events at this base are interconnected." Jim looked thoughtful for a moment before looking to Spock.

"The most damage to the computer was in transmissions and encryption." Spock nodded.

"Starbase eight is only able to send sub-space transmissions since the malfunctions, taking a total of two weeks to reach Starfleet Command. Their encryption mainframe has been disabled and damaged. Any coding assisting transmissions are now inoperable and will take time fix or replace what is left."

"That means who ever is doing the kidnapping is smart. They took out the bases form of communication and are pick officers off one by one. This way the base gets no help and the people behind this can take their time, meaning there is less of a chance at getting caught because they don't have to rush."

"It does seem likely that this is the case but as I said, captain, there is insufficient data. This is all a hypothetical conclusion."

"Yeah and it doesn't explain the attacks on the medical supply ships." Spock nodded and then they both turned at the sound of someone beaming in.

Soon Uhura stood by the desk with a PADD in one hand and an odd little device that looked like a mini microphone in the other. She gave a glance to the base commander before walking over to her superior officers.

"Captain, commander." She said giving them both a tiny smile. She was secretly glad to be off that ship, three months with no shore leave was so not cool.

"Lieutenant, we need you to try and decode and translate as best you can the messages on the commanders computer. They're all from the same source presumably so focus on one of them rather then trying to work them all out."

Uhura nodded and walked over to the desk where the computer files where already open. The commander offered her his chair and Uhura thanked him before getting on with her work.

"Commander Dawson, why don't you tell us about these medical supply ship attacks?"

It turned out that the attacks were carried out by humanoids that wore helmets gloves and full body suits that held no reference as to how they belonged to. It was impossible to tell what humanoid species they were. Apparently they never talked to each other and only signaled with their hands and nods of the head.

The latest medical supply ship was still here and after speaking with him Jim began to get a sinking feeling. He left Spock to finish up the questioning and went in search of McCoy.

The doctor grumbled about being called away since he was on his way to the bar for something to eat. After Jim promised that yes it was an emergency and that the guy could order dinner form Jim's cabin they made their way back to the ship.

"Bones I have a really bad feeling about this. Look all this is connected I know it. Spock even thinks it…alright he didn't say that exactly but it's what he meant."

"Jim will you stop pacing and just tell me what the hell happened that's got you so god damned jumpy." The doctor was sat at Jim's desk waiting for the yeoman to bring him the food he had ordered for both of them. Although he doubted Jim would actually be able to eat anything at the moment.

"Ok so the first thing to happen to this base was that the medical supplies kept getting hit. Then the communications went down along with the encryptions. Then people started to disappear. This is not good, the lives of the people who have been take is being threatened. They're saying that they will kill them if Starfleet is informed."

"Jim, ok I get it. Yeah these might all be linked into something bigger but I don't get this nervousness. We deal with this stuff all the time. Not that I'm condoning getting into these messes but it's the truth. We're trained for this stuff…well you are, I'm trained to fix people while the ship gets blown up."

Jim stood by his window and looked out at the vest number of stars. He was quiet for a moment before he turned back to Bones, his face pale and eyes hard with the nerves and pushing adrenalin.

"Bones the stuff taken on the medical shipments…It was the Vulcan vaccinations, Vulcan blood and the GXRV-6 Toxin."

Just then the doors opened and the yeoman walked in with the food, she set it up and looked nervously between the two men. Neither had moved since she came in, save for the captain who had turned to the window. When she left Jim turned back to Bones.

"Jesus, Jim…You don't think it could be…" The doctor whispered not taing his eyes from the captain.

"I don't know…I mean, the classified files don't mention anything about others being alive but, they don't mention me either so anyone else could just as easily slipped under the radar…especially if they didn't return to Earth with the others." McCoy sighed and rubbed his hand over his eyes.

"It doesn't make sense though. How would they have found out about the Sleepers? It's a complicated thing to make and you only managed to live up until you met me because you were either popping the Vulcan pills or drowning yourself in alcohol."

"I don't know but if you take it as fact that one or even more got off that planet undetected then this whole thing fits together right?"

"Jim you're jumping to conclusions! This could just as easily be Klingons as it could be that! You need to calm down and think about this rationally."

Jim growled and brushed his plate off the table along with his drink, Bones had just managed to pick his own plate up before the rest was wiped off.

"I can't that's the problem!" He shouted, trying to get his breathing under control. McCoy could see the fear in his eyes and saw past the anger the kid was showing. He stood up and forced Jim to sit on the bed. He framed Jim's face with his hands and looked him straight in the eyes.

"Calm down. Control this. Keep breathing."

The captain didn't break eye contact until he was breathing normally, when he did he looked down and a bright blush came over his cheeks, before he pulled away from the warm hands.

"Thanks Bones…I'm sorry about that." McCoy sighed and went back to his seat. He picked up the spilt plate and gave Jim half of his sandwich.

"Look kid, you need to stop being so paranoid that this is all going to come out and just work out what is actually going on. Whether this has anything to do with your past or not, you need to find out what's going on. People's lives are at stake here."

Jim nodded and sat down opposite the doctor. He broke the half of a sandwich in half again and gave it back to Bones, just keeping the small piece for himself. When he got a glare form the doctor he smirked slightly and shook his head.

"Seriously with my nerves and stomach I can't eat anymore than this or I'll throw up."

McCoy had just finished his half of the sandwich when Jim's com link began to flash. The captain sighed and shook his head before hitting the button.

"Captain Kirk here."

"Captain I have as much of the transmission translated as I can…You might want to come and here this sir." Jim looked at McCoy and the doctor stood up ready to follow Jim.

"I'm on my way Lieutenant." With that he shut off the link and walked out of his cabin, McCoy by his side.

Jim walked through to the commander's office knowing Spock would already be there, he had called the Vulcan while on his way to the office. He would need someone to think wholly logically.

"Alright Uhura what's going on with all this?" The woman bit her lip before pressing a button that put what was on her PADD on the large screen on the wall of the office.

"Ok so I managed to sort out the wavelengths into four bands. This first one is just a simple computer code, it's generic to every species since it's just patterns of numbers. This one is the one that got the communication to the Starbase in the first place. This second one is Klingon and holds the main message, it's scrambled through their military coding first but I managed to get through to it. The third is…Romulan but…it's not fluent. As though they didn't have Romulan coding equipment and were actually speaking the message again in Romulan rather then have the computer simply recode the message." She stopped and everyone turned to her. She seemed to steel herself before carrying on.

"This last one is the strangest. It isn't a code at all, or a message. It's just a bunch of growls and something human but I can't make out what is said." She played the last band and Jim froze up. There was a lot of growling like some sort of animal showing its dominance but Jim, especially in his state right now, could here the words under the growls. He looked over to Spock and could see that he had heard them too.

It was a sickeningly dreamy voice that Jim heard in his nightmares. It confirmed that this was related to his past and he had to try very hard not to show that he was effected by it, that he didn't know what was being said or the fact he was close to throwing up.

"Mr. Spock, anything on a higher level that we can't hear." He tried to sound normal about it all and it seemed it had come across how he wanted it too. Spock simply looked at him and began to recite what he had heard.

"It's not going to hurt don't worry…After we take you then we'll take the rest of the base, then we'll have lots of friends to play with." It was said in such a dry, plain tone that Jim almost managed to smile at that. Of course Spock wouldn't be effected by the words, he didn't know what it meant for the people who had been taken or the rest of the base if they didn't find them.

"I don't get what it means. Why have that over the top of an already encrypted message?" Uhura asked looking to Spock for an answer, since it was a given that if Uhura had a question then usually the only ones who could answer it would be Spock or Chekov.

"It could simply be another set of wavelengths that would make it harder to breakdown, a constant growl is hard to pick up over a multilayered encryption. The voice under the growl would be misleading you into thinking it may be relevant to the message."

"So it's Klingons then." McCoy put in, looking pointedly at Jim. Spock raised an eyebrow at his seemingly pointless comment and nodded his head.

"It would appear so."

There was a long silence while everyone processed this. It was hard to imagine that a Klingon ship could get this far into Federation space undetected, and more than a little unnerving at what they were doing here. Jim suddenly took a deep breath and turned to everyone. They all looked to him and saw the cold determination in his eyes and the tense muscles in his shoulders.

"No, it's not the Klingons. But I do know who it is."

...Ok so that's the first one, I kind of tried to end it like the original series would when going to a commercial break. If it worked or not is totally up to you. So yeah...NEXT CHAPTER!!


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

Everyone stared at him as though he had gone mad; it was obviously Klingon from the broken-down transmission. Spock simply raised an eyebrow and McCoy looked worriedly at his captain, stepping up to him and putting a hand on his shoulder.

"Jim…Are you sure?" Kirk nodded and walked over to the window looking out over the stars, from here he could just see the back of his ship.

"The leader of this group will be Charlie and Emma Huntings…I don't know if they have a following or group or not but when I first…saw, them it was just the two of them."

Everyone waited for him to continue so he turned back to the officers and leaned against the window. He tried not to let the adrenalin get the better of him and just folded his arms.

"It's a heck of a long story to tell but I'm going to keep it short since we really need to find these two before they cause anymore damage."

"Who are they? Who are you talking about?" Uhura asked from her seat. She had closed off the files and stored everything on her PADD. Spock and commander Dawson also looked interested. Bones just looked slightly sympathetic. The guy had heard it wall before and knew how hard it was for Jim to talk about it.

"Well…Charlie worked in a classified section of Starfleet and Emma was a xenolingusitics specialist working at the local school by the starship dock. She was a schoolteacher but she had the qualifications to join Starfleet if she wanted to." Jim took s deep breath and made sure he kept to the basic facts.

"Something was going on, on Tarsus four, some sort of Starfleet top-secret experiments. Anyway, Charlie was one of the test officers that had signed up and he had brought his wife with him. My mom worked at the shipping docks there and my brother and me went to the local school where Emma worked. One night something happened at the Starfleet base, the reports say that the test officers went crazy and broke out of the base. All of them had to be neutralized since they were carrying an experimental drug through their systems but it looks like these two slipped through the net."

"Captain…How are you certain that this is their work?" Spock asked. The man was vulcan so he did really like working on hunches unless he had too.

"Because that's what I heard her say before the escape shuttles left the planet. They were a young couple you see, married at eighteen I think. They always wanted kids and the whole family life but Charlie wanted to wait until he was further up the Starfleet ranks before he had to provide for kids. The drug just made them crazy."

Jim looked away and felt Bones right beside him. He wasn't going to tell them the whole story yet…if ever. He knew that if he looked at Spock or Uhura that they would see he wasn't telling them something and s he kept his head down. The was silence for a moment before the commander spoke in a shaking voice.

"W-What happened? Why did everyone need to evacuate the planet? What is the big deal with them being here?"

Jim flinched at the questions. He had hoped to keep this from them but it would be useful to know I guess. It was just a little bit horrifying. He looked up at them and was about to speak before a terrified voice came over the commanders desk communicator.

"Help! Oh my god, help! Please! There-There chasing us! Agh! They just took Commander Lawson down! Oh my god please, there must be at least twenty of them! Phasers don't work on them; it only slows them down! Please, if you can hear this please Help!" There was the sound of the communicator hitting the floor before it went to static.

That was it Jim let go of his control and stood up, he looked over at Spock and flicked his head towards the door. The Vulcan complied, following his captain to the door.

"Bones get everyone beamed back aboard the ship! I want all of security down here now! Tell them to set their phasers to kill and to aim at the head and only the head!"

"Jim!" The captain turned around and Bones walked up to him taking out a hypo with a dark green substance in it. He injected it into his arm and Jim could feel his mind clearing a little more.

"This is a different mix I've been working on. You can get as worked up as you want, as long as that's going through your system then you should be able to think clearly. Just remember that it wont last forever so clear this shit up quickly alright?" Jim smiled and nodded before leading Spock out into the corridor.

"Captain I do not understand why the doctor saw fit to give you an injection for clarity, I was not aware that the doctor was working on such a drug." They both took a minute to set their phasers and check the corridors out for anyone.

"It's a long story. If we live through this, remind me to tell you some time." With that Jim took off down the corridors, following the commotion and screams.

"Look Spock these people were going to be up against are just as strong, if not stronger then you and their only agenda is to hunt and kill. They might look like normal innocent people but their not. As soon as you get a clear shot then take it. Our objective is to kill and contain is that clear Spock." He knew he didn't really need to tell Spock this or even wait for a reply but Spock was Vulcan. So he didn't kill unless it was necessary or an emergency.

Obviously Spock nodded. The turned the corner and saw a security team fending off some of the attackers. The managed to get to the team without being in the cross fire and Jim found the man leading them.

"What's going on so far?"

"We have six of them cornered down there but we just can't get the shots we need. We found some of the Starbase phaser but they're all locked onto stun only. There's no changing it."

"Damn it! How long have they had this planned? Alright don't forget our phasers can still be set to kill! I need you to start rounding the people up and all team to meet in the same deck. Talk to you guards and make it happen!" Jim and Spock were about to turn around when a man tackled Jim to the floor from behind.

Spock dived at him and flung the man off, wrestling with him as he tried to get up and attack. Spock was shocked to find that this human was stronger than he was. He could feel his own muscles growing weaker as he tried to exert more energy into pushing the man away.

Suddenly a flash of gold was by his side and Spock watched as the captain took over and pushed the man away. Jim grappled with the man until he had a tight grip on the hands of the other man and pushed him down.

"Spock! Get to the engineering and close of the sections with the infected in! Close off the life support in the locked areas!" The mad man under him punched Jim in the jaw but he managed to get him under control again. There was a sickening crack as Jim twisted the guy's neck enough for it to break.

"When you see that they are down you need to send in sweeper teams and shoot them all got it. Don't stun. Just kill."

With that Jim began walking in the direction of the other psychotic people who had been penned in by the security team, they had gone in order to start rounding people up. Jim had heard the leader talking over the communicator with his other teams. Jim really did love how all sections of his crew were just awesome.

"Captain you can not stay here. These humans and other alien species are stronger than they should be. You woul-"

"Spock get out of here now before I demote your Vulcan ass!" Jim turned to Spock and for the first time in his life, Spock felt the ice-cold dripping of fear run down his spine.

Jim's eyes were almost totally black. There was simply a shock blue ring on a background of black. His incisor teeth were longer and his whole aura just radiated danger. It was like the shrouds of Kloon that sapped your breath and froze your blood in the veins.

"Aye." It was all he could say with out his voice breaking. He would not show fear here, where it was so obvious that strength was the only thing that would get them all through this. He didn't like the idea of leaving Jim here, knowing this would be one of the areas he would have to lock and turn off the life support, but it was the captains call and so he took off to engineering.

Jim had seen the fear in Spock before the man had closed off and he could also smell it. He couldn't think about that though, his adrenalin was racing through him and his mind was clearer thanks to McCoy. He took a few deep breaths while the psychotic people in front of him sized him up, growling and hissing. Jim saw that behind them at their feet lay bloody corpses, unmoving and pale. He stifled that urge to gag and ran at them as they charged towards him.

Spock looked down at the glowing screen and saw Jim fighting off the last three of the strange psychotic people. He was tempted greatly to wait and see if Jim could get out before the others in the contained areas managed to. It was a risk his logical mind wouldn't allow him to take and so he systematically turned off the life support, leaving Jim's sector until last.

The engineering room was an eerie place. This is where the attacks had started from apparently, as there was blood splattered up the walls and dead bodies of different species on scattered around. All with their throats ripped out, it also looked like the psychotic attackers had licked the blood off the floor as well. He did not feel alone in this place and had a faint wish of quickening his growth as it would mean his senses would have developed also. He could sense that the room held more life than he knew of but he could say where they were or what it was. For all he knew it could be a tribble.

He let that sink to the back of his mind as he switched Jim's sector off. Suddenly he could feel two humans stood behind him. They had moved very quickly and when he turned around they were both giving him an odd smile.

"…Little Jimmy found a new family all on his own…" The woman said in an airy casual voice. The man chuckled darkly before pulling out a knife that was covered in blood. He held it out to the woman and she licked one side of it, then he brought it to his own lips and licked the other.

"I wonder…How you all sleep at night, knowing your captain is a psychotic monster like us. You know it's only a matter of time before he turns on you. Like we turned. That stuff he takes…he'll get used to it like we did. Then what? Are you all going to stand by him? Watch as he turns into a mindless hunting machine with nothing in his mind but the need to seek life and kill it?" The man growled at him, his eyes like Jim's save the different in colour of the ring in his eyes. The woman's was the same, as was the man who had attacked them before he left Jim to fight.

"Aw…Chazy I don't think he was told…Do any of you know? Bad Jimmy, he should have told you. It's not nice to keep secrets." Spock flicked his eyes too the screen and saw no one moving in the decks that were on lock. He moved his hand slightly and opened them for the sweeper teams that were ready and waiting, they were under orders to shoot everyone apart from the captain.

"You are Emma and Charlie Huntings. You were married early and worked on Tarsus four before becoming the victims of the experimental tests there." He didn't know everything, and he certainly didn't now Jim was one of them or apart of all this, but he wasn't going to give them the upper hand by letting on he didn't know everything. They were trying to turn him against the captain that much was obvious. They counting on the fact that Jim wouldn't have told anyone about his past.

Spock had an idea that the doctor knew though. The way the doctor would pressure Jim and the constant check ups, the way no one was allowed in to see the captain while the doctor worked; there was also the regular depletion of Vulcan vaccinations and blood even though he was the only Vulcan and would not go through so much. This all fit together some how.

"Ah so he has opened up to his new family. Well…you better watch out…once his system gets used to the drug there will be know help for his poor little mind. He'll end up like us, and when he does we'll come get him."

There was an alarming beep from the consol and Spock looked to see that it was a communications from the security teams, from the scenes on the screen they had finished with the sweep up. He turned back to psychotic couple and saw that they were gone.

"Security there are two attackers left one male and one female, check the shuttle deck first and work you way around the base. They must be found." To the teams credit they just sighed before running off to comply. Spock looked to Jim's sector and saw that a medical team had already been called and McCoy was shouting at his nurses to stand aside while he worked. From here Spock could see the doctor was doing no more than slapping Jim on the face lightly while pretending to look for equipment and giving injection. Soon enough Jim was up and coughing as his lungs filled back up with air.

Sock could remember back to times McCoy had done the same thing on a number of missions. Always keeping people back while he worked on the captain. It seemed that the doctor wasn't really need apart from to run interference while Jim recuperated on his own. It looks like Emma and Charlie was telling the truth and Jim was one of them for sure.

McCoy sighed in Relief when Jim's eyes fluttered, it was practically a given that as long as the wound wasn't serious Jim would be ok and he knew the kid would bounce back from something like this…but it didn't mean he didn't worry.

"Jesus kid you scared the crap out of me for a minute there." Jim smiled while trying to catch his breath and Bones slapped him good-naturedly on the arm.

"I'm fine Bones r-real…re…" Jim's eyes rolled back and he fell to the floor again. His breathing became erratic and he was having a seizure all within two minutes.

"Nurse! Bring me that damned medical kit!" He started to arrange Jim so he could check him out and was shaken when he saw cuts appearing on his body and bruises blooming over the skin. Jim was really having trouble breathing now.

"Shit kid don't do this too me. Not now. Not here after all this crap." The doctor grumbled to himself as the nurse handed him the equipment out of the kit and he set it up. He fixed a breathing mask to the captains face and took the dermal regenerator from the nurse, he started working on the cuts but they weren't healing like they should and more just kept opening up. Bones threw it back at kit next to the nurse and swore under his breath.

"Get Scotty to beam us up right now! I want a team ready when we get there to help me get him back to Sickbay. Im not fixing him on this god damned hell hole."

The nurse nodded and ran off to find someone with a communicator.

"Trust Chapel to be the most efficient nurse." He said to himself, as he and Jim were engulfed seconds later in a mass of streaking lights.

Jim woke up in a panic. He couldn't breathe, he could feel his lungs tensing and stick, he could feel the burn of cuts and gashes re opening from the fight he was strapped down to the table and he didn't know why. Had Bones thought he was a danger to people? He could think clearly though and he knew Bones wouldn't think that really. He called out for the doctor but his vision cleared and he saw the man was leaning over him, as well as nurses that were trying to fix his cut before too many more opened.

"Jim! You need to be stronger! The drug isn't working! You need to more blood!" Jim felt terror grip his stomach. Bone couldn't really mean that could he? He wasn't really suggesting…

Spock came into view; his blank face showing nothing of the fascination, concern and determination Jim could smell. Jim panicked even more, trying to break the restraints.

"No! Bones no, no please, no! Don't do this!" He struggled further as he saw the doctor slice across the Vulcan's outstretched wrist. Tears sprag to his eyes and McCoy brought the wrist above his face.

"No, no Bones, don't please, please, you can't do this, no, no nonononononono." He sobbed even as the blood of his First Officer slowly dripped on his lips and into his mouth. The tears ran uncheck even as be began to feel his strength returning. Shame bloomed in his chest and wouldn't move. His breathing was still erratic after he felt his lungs return to normal.

McCoy let out a ragged sigh and brushed his hand through the blond hair. Jim tried to stop himself from crying but he couldn't. He was still in shock, the blood coursing through him was pulsing with the concentration of it and his spiraling thoughts of the crew seeing and knowing about him.

"Just try- Just try to get some sleep kid." The doctor's voice was hitched and he had to look away before he began crying for the kid too. He turned to the room and grimaced when he saw the whole bridge crew plus Scotty.

"Look…Go wait in my office, give me a minute to make sure he's stable and going to be ok. Then I'll tell you all I know." Everyone slowly left to the office, casing worried glances to their captain. Bones sighed again and undid the restrains hold Jim down.

"Please don't run kid, I've locked the doors and Spock doubled them. They need to know Jim; after what happened today they need to know…"

"Bones." Jim croacked as he turned onto his side his back to the doctor. Bones laid a hand on his shoulder to let him know he was listening.

"I can't do it…I can't tell them. Y-Your…"

"I'll tell them all I know, is that ok?" Jim just nodded and Bones left for his office round the corner.

When he got there everyone was waiting around nervously, no one was talking but the officers all looked like they were about to burst out with questions. Bones sat in his office chair and rubbed his temple before leaning back in his chair. He was quiet for a moment before he began quietly.

"You don't have to be afraid. Jim's not dangerous, he wouldn't let himself be."

"Ve are knowing that doctor. Captain Kirk is good man." Chekov protested. Everyone nodded and looked at him as though he was planning to start killing babies.

"Well what the hell has you all so fucking worried then?!" God damned teenage crew and their hormonal shifting. He wasn't cut out for this crap. Explosions, wartime surgery sure thing. Teenage brats and their attitudes, no way.

"Leonard! Jim is out there and was on the verge of dieing not ten minutes ago! We're worried for him." Spock watched on as he checked the dermal regeneration band that was strapped to his wrist, he had felt the skin close up and after confirm that he was healed he took it off. He didn't not wish to get into an emotional debate, he just wanted the fact so that he could make a logical conclusion on whether Starfleet needed to be informed of the growing situation.

"Alright! I'll tell you everything." He sighed and everyone got comfy for the long story. Chekov even seemed to be excited over hearing tales of his secret hero.

"When Jim was thirteen he was in some major trouble, I'm talking police, councils and even Starfleet…

**Flashback**

"Jim why do you do these things to me? I mean really, did you have to sneak onto the Starfleet base? And when you was caught did you have to fight with security and then run off?" Jim was sat on a bench outside the Commander on Base's office waiting to be lead in for the meeting they were going to have about Jims actions.

"But mum, I needed to tell you Sam. He didn't get that black eye because of the horses."

"Jimmy please, you can tell me all that later but right now we need to make sure they don't send you to the Youths Rehabilitation Boarding School." Winona shook her head and ruffled Jim's hair when a look of horror came of his face. The boy was a free spirit, a boarding school would drive him mad but such a strict regimented one would kill him.

"Don't worry I'm not going to let them send you away." She laughed lightly but stopped when Jim just lowered his head. She gently stroked his cheek with her hand and lifted his head.

"What is it baby?"

"Maybe I should go away…Sam is always getting into trouble because he can't be as good as me or take orders from Uncle Frank like me. If I went away then Uncle wouldn't have me to compare him to and they might get along better…Then you could stop worrying and stay home more…" Silent tears slowly ran down his cheeks as he thought about leaving his brother and mother but if it made things better he would do it.

"Jim…I think it's time you told me what really happened to Sammy."

When they got home that day Winona Kirk walked straight up to her brother and punched him in the face, all her Starfleet combat training put behind it. She wordlessly went up to her room and started packing.

"Boys! I want you to pack all your things. Everything you want to keep pack away." Jim was trying to hide his smiles, he had been there when his mother had talked to the Starfleet people and he knew where they were going.

"Whinny what the hell? Where are you going with the kids?"

"Just get oout of here Frank. I told Starfleet what you've been doing to the boys and how you treat them. The police should be on their way now for you."

Just then you could see the blue and red lights flashing and the sirens going. Jim rushed to his window and watched as Frank was tugged out of the house and into a police hover car. He felt an arm around his shoulders and hand ruffle his hair.

"Thanks Jimmy." His brother whispered and Jim wrapped his arms around his brother's waist.

"I just didn't want you to leave me too."

**Flashback end**

…

"So how did Jim get out of it? You can't tell me that Winona Kirk; a decorated and esteemed Starfleet officer would just let her son get away with breaking onto the base." Uhura asked reluctantly intrigued as to what happened next. Spock just rose an eye brow.

"That wasn't all that Jim had done. He had drove his dad's classic antique car off the old mining cliffs, he was known for vandalizing public property with his friends. At some point he had even stole the licensing chip off of the governor's hover car."

"Doctor McCoy, while the crew may find you story telling skills adequate, I find your fact giving skill to be lacking. What does Jim's past have to do with what is happening now?" It wasn't meant to be harsh but he was loosing patients, this was a serious matter that needed to be discussed not a chance for the doctor to tell stories.

"This has relevance mister Spock! I'm trying to set the scene here. If I didn't start from here then people would only as how they got there in the first place. So shut up and let me continue." Spock raised a condescending eyebrow but nodded for the doctor to continue. McCoy just grumbled and ignored him.

"So when Jim told Winona about his uncle frank actually hit both Sam and Jim when she wasn't around, she realized she needed to be there more for a family…

**Flashback**

… "So then mum stormed into the Commanders office and told them she wanted to take the job they had offered her earlier. They had this big argument about what to do with me first. Mom said I would learn responsibility and stuff while away on this planet and that I just needed to be away from Frank and my friends."

"So they just let you off to go to another planet? Man, you are one lucky kid little bro'." Sam said as they both played a two player Starfleet game they had brought along for the journey.

"Yeah I know. But mum got all serious when we left and said that Tarsus four was a Level One Starfleet base and that we would be joining the Starfleet Academy reach out program there. I don't get one was so special about it though. Mum showed me a picture of the planet and it's nothing to brag about." Sam had looked up from his game and Jim saw his player get eaten by a mud monster.

"A Level One Starfleet base means that the personal that live there have their families there to. It means you can only leave when Starfleet says you can and when you do you have to fill out a lot of PADDwork first. You have to make oaths and vows to not speak about what you see. The reach out program is where your train in a specific field for Starfleet. We'll be taught by the best! Everyone looks for stuff like this! It impresses Starfleet Command more than your actual grades." Sam looked really excited and Jim paused his game.

"So do you know what's going on Tarsus four then?" Sam coughed and rubbed the back of his neck.

"No, actually. Level one base projects are discussed on a need-to-know basis. It could be anything from weapons to biology. Chances are we'll never really know and I doubt mom does either. She took the position of Starship Dock's Chief Engineer right? She doesn't really have anything to do with the base itself or what goes on in there."

…

**Flashback End**

"I have heard of level one Stafleet bases. It is true there where to cadets that came from level one bases and they were very popular, and for good reason too. They were very intelligent and had the knowledge in certain fields that would take many years to learn in the Academy. All because they had been trained personally by experts. Class sizes are very small on bases like that, sometimes only four cadets to a year class."

Everyone looked impressed, it wasn't everyday you met someone from a base like that. They usually didn't leave the planet they were trained on, instead they would put their skills to work on the base. Spock was also intrigued by this development. The captains behavior doesn't fit with others he himself had met who had worked on level one bases. They were disciplined, followed regulation to the letter and completed their PADDwork efficiently and without complaint. All traits their captain lacked most of the time.

"So…something happened right? I mean I heard about Tarsus being a failure. They shut the project down and left the planet last I heard. No one knows what the project was, just that it failed and Starfleet had major losses because of it."

"Yeah…yeah it failed big time…and those losses weren't credit wise, it was life wise…

**Flashback**

"Mom! What's going on! Why are we leaving everything!" They were running so fast Jim could hardly keep up. Sam had grabbed his arm and was just pulling him along, the grip o his arm was tight and nails were digging into his skin but he daren't complain.

"Just keep running Jim. Don't look back, just keep running until you reach a shuttle." His Sam said beside him, his voice trying to stay level but Jim could hear the panic and fear in his voice. Winona was running just behind them, every so often they would hear as she fired a phaser gun at what ever was coming towards them. Jim had only got a glance but he had seen Starfleet officers in ripped uniforms and bare feet acting strange and running after them.

Jim put it all together and knew what was happening. He had hacked into the Starfleet base's mainframe and had found all the files on the tests and experiment. Starfleet were trying to create a vaccine they could give Starfleet human officers that would help them in battle with other alien species. They were trying to come up with a formula that would be stable enough to latch onto the body without burning up the brain and nerves. This was the result.

The officers they had tried it on had gone mad.

Suddenly Jim stumbled onto a shuttle and Sam was strapping him in and making sure everyone else was ok, they had been traveling with all of kids on the base after all and Sam was one of the oldest that was sent to keep them safe. Jim saw his mom out by the door firing at the mad people that were closing in.

"mom! Come in Quick!" She didn't listen so he struggled to get his belt off. Sam had just gone round the back of his chair to could the kids that had made it so he jumped out of the shuttle and ran at the thing sneaking up on his mom.

He was struggling but also playing dirty, he was also quick on his feet and small so they crazy guy had a hard time catching him. Jim managed to dodge a bloody hand before the guy was shot with a phaser and disappeared. He looked around and saw his mom aiming at where the man had been.

"mom!" He was relieved to see that she was alright and took a step towards her.

He froze when his moms relieved expression turned to one of shock, Jim saw a hand come round her shoulder and the silver of a blade as it was pulled across her neck. She fell to the floor lifeless as the blood ran across the blade as well as down her neck.

The woman that had done it didn't see him were he was and she spotted someone else further away, so she kicked the body with a growl before taking off, a shivering evil laugh following her. Jim ran over to his mom and fell to his knees. He feels ashamed that he dare not touch her, he's never seen a dead body before and it makes it even harder that this is his mother, who had been alive a second ago.

He saw the blood pooling around his mothers neck on the ground and shuffled back a bit. Tears rolling down his face and breathing coming in hard half sobs. Suddenly he felt a hypo at his neck and turned to see a couple stood next to him. They had the same crazy look the bad people had and he could see they were covered in blood. They were smirking at him and the woman bent down. He started to feel light headed and swayed slightly.

"Come play with us little boy. You can help us get back at Starfleet for what they are doing to us." The cuts on his arm from the guy he had attacked started to heal. He screamed as he felt the burn of then closing up and the pounding in his head grew. He didn't know what was happening to him, he just held his head as it tried to break through his skull. He started to smell something, it smelt really good and when he looked to see what it was, it was his mothers blood.

"It's ok, she's still warm, just take a bite…or lick it up, it doesn't really matter which" Jim began to cry even more now. He chocked down on his gag reflexes, he couldn't believe he thought his mother blood smelt nice and he actually did want to try it.

"Don't be afraid, we'll look after you now."

There was phaser fire then and the couple growled before taking off. Jim looked up as an arm wrapped around him, he looked up to see random Starfleet officer, a normal one. The man picked him up and ran him over to the shuttle before hefting him on one of the benches. He tried to tell the man that his brother was on shuttle eight, since he had seen this one was shuttle four, but he past out before he could…

**Flashback End**

…

Everyone had gone pale. No one moved and McCoy was hard pressed to say if anyone was even breathing. Bones gave a deep sigh and carried on.

"Jim himself doesn't know what happened for a few years after that. He said he drifted along, sometime he'd be missing whole days from his memory and when he did finally come round he said he didn't want to think about what had happened in that time."

"Through out the years I started taking drugs, all kinds just to try and keep myself awake and calm. I noticed that Vulcan vaccinations and regularity pills worked better than most so I stuck to them for a while…at least until I met Bones. The good doctor here started experimenting with formulas and toxin to try and get something of a safe drug for me to take." Jim was stood leaning against the door to the office now, his arms crossed over his chest and not looking anyone in the eye. Bones carried on again, pride in his eyes for Jim having the courage to face this.

"We worked out that the virus Starfleet had create was dormant within the system but once the adrenalin levels rose it activated the virus and it takes over. It sort of…latches onto every cell and enforces it. Jim heals quicker because of it. Once the virus is fully active within him he can be stronger than Vulcans and Klingons. Starfleet had over shot their mark though. Once the virus activated in their test subjects it took over and effected the brain more than it should have, burning up areas that control rational and logical thinking. In effect they become mindless being that just act out anything that comes to mind. Add that with the addictive blood lust that Starfleet added to its virus and their strict Starfleet training and you have a mindless killer."

"Wait, why would Starfleet add something that would induce a blood lust?" Uhura asked, the others looked confused also but it was Spock that answered.

"Humans, much like many sentient being hold a sense of compassion. Humans do so based on their emotional need to connect to things, Vulcans with our logical view that killing is pointless and so on. If Starfleet were creating a vaccination that would induce heightened strength and faster healing times then I assume they were making something like a perfect officer of battle. Therefore I concluded that they were trying to add something to the virus that would take away their compassion, probably hoping the virus would then create a higher sense for following orders without question."

"You got all that from just knowing the virus added to their strength and healing?" Sulu asked trying to get to grips with all this.

"Look at the fact gentlemen. Starfleet commences testing of a virus they have created on Starfleet officers on a level one base site, a site were training is focused and usually on a higher level than trained at the Academy. They add an agent that enhances the cells creating strength and healing. They then add a base line blood lust meaning they wish for the officers, in this heightened adrenalin state, to value blood over peace." Everyone nodded as they followed his thoughts. McCoy already knew and was watching Jim as the man moved closer in the room but stayed around the edge of the group and close to the door.

"This would then create an officer who obediently took orders and executed them efficiently due to his training, he would not feel the need for peace of have the urge to ask questions in the face of being ordered to kill someone, they would also have a higher strength in order to carry out their orders and faster healing time when they do become injured."

"Spock's right, it was written in the classified files that their objective was a sort of perfect officer. When the Kelvin was taken out so efficiently and that it was only my dad's actions and Nero's distraction of finding Spock that kept the escaping crew alive, they wanted to be prepared for anything. The Kelvin attack really shook the human up I guess and they just wanted to try and find something that would give them a better chance out in space." Jim looked up and flicked his eyes over everyone before looking down again.

"Jim…Why didn't you just go to Starfleet, they would have people working on it and found a cure or something." Uhura asked walking over to him. He flinched as she did, he didn't want to get to close incase they thought he would attack them. He snorted as her words registered.

"There were ten others who had been infected that had made it back to Earth…they killed them all…said it was a mercy killing because it wasn't an existence anyone would want. It was really just a cover up so they didn't have to carry on working on such a dangerous thing."

The room was covered in silence as everyone worked trough all the information. Jim waited a moment before he stood up straight, his head held high and his shoulders back. In his captains uniform he looked every bit the officer he was.

"Mister Spock, I relieve myself of command and hand myself over to the brig. I'll go quietly but my only request is that this be kept from the crew. I don't want to start a panic and…I…I would like to keep what is left of my dignity." He faltered slightly but recovered, keeping his eyes locked with Spock's. Again there was a moment of silence before the room began to erupt with protests form the crew, all obviously not believing Jim should be taken from command and escorted to the brig.

"Captain. What is the compound that doctor McCoy provides for your need to remain rational and you normal human emotional self?" Everyone stopped shouting when Spock started to speak and they all looked to McCoy who took out the kit he had hidden for Jim. He pulled out the two test tubes and laid them on the table.

"This one is watered down Vulcan blood and this one is the illegal drug GXRV-6 Toxin."

"General Xeno-Rubelic Version six Toxin? That illegal throughout the federation isn't it?" Scotty looked thoughtful as he tried to remember, he'd had some in his Academy days but you were lucky if you found someone who knew how to get some. He supposed a doctor would be able to whip something up though. McCoy nodded and took out the top tray, under that was a set of packets with powders in as well as some strange small objects.

"This is all the stuff I use to create the compounds and mixed the so that when Jim comes to me all I have to do is mix the two sets together and inject him. It's easier on Jim rather than make him wait for it."

"And this is simple for you to create? It does not affect you work or shifts in Sickbay?" Bones eyed his suspiciously but nodded.

"I set aside some time once a week in my own time to make sure I have enough for Jim if he needs it. Then like I said it's just a case of when he comes to me I mix the two together and inject him." Spock nodded and stepped forward to be at the front of the group.

"I have assessed the latest events and have concluded that Captain Kirk is of sound mind and body and therefore has no reason to hand over his command. I suggest that Starfleet should be made aware of everything that took place of the Starbase but it would be wise to leave out the captain's condition. This way Starfleet will be made aware that their experiments are still out in space and are attacking Starfleet posts." Jim stared at him with his brow furrowed and then shook his head.

"How do you know that I'm of sound mind and body? I could stop taking the injection and go crazy like them." Spock raised an eyebrow.

"Captain I find it highly improbable. You have gone to great lengths to suppress this virus and will continue to do so because you care for your crew. You will do anything to keep them safe and if you truly thought that this virus made you dangerous, you would not have accepted the position of captain of joined Starfleet. In the stressful events of Nero you where still calm and managed to save Captain Pike, Earth and even attempted to save Nero himself. If there is one man who can cope with this virus, I would say it is you." Jim looked around at his crew and saw them all smiling and nodding along with Spock's words.

"With this out in the open we can now all help to find a cure for this virus and we can all help you when needed. Since we have you under control, so to speak, there is no need to inform Starfleet. After all Starfleet simply asked for a report on our mission and any emergencies…I do not find your condition cause for concern as we have it supervised and under control." Jim smirked and shook his head before walking over to the wall and leaning against it.

"Your all mad you know that right? I mean this isn't just a mission that you can head to the safety of the ship when it goes wrong? I'm on the ship too, with a larger amount of access codes. Doesn't that scare any of you?"

"What scares me is that you think I've forgotten about those fifty credits you owe me. I told you, you wouldn't be able to get Spock to crack a smile and I believe I was right. You had until this morning to do it and you haven't so pay up pretty boy." Uhura gave him a smug smile and held her hand out.

"You know what? I think you set me up. How a bout a rematch double or nothing." Jim started edging away from Uhura and to the other side of Bones.

"I for one am scared that you might turn into one of them crazy people." Chekov whispered and everyone froze. Jim might have just broken I little bit right there. Chekov was like his little brother out here and he had always tried to remember what his own big brother had down to help him out…he knew he was never afraid of Sam like Chekov must fear him.

Chekov…I don't know…" What to say? Don't know what to do? Either one worked but he didn't want to admit that.

"No, you misunderstand. I mean I am being afraid of loosing you to those things. So I will work hard to make sure you do not. You belong here on this ship and so you will stay and we will help." Chekov met his eyes and Jim let out a breath that had been building up. Everyone was agreeing with Chekov and Jim finally thought that maybe he could get through this.

McCoy got grumpy round about then and had everyone out of Sickbay so he could do a full check up on the captain before the man flittered off to finish his work or whatever. Everyone left with a parting smile and Jim returned them, again truly thankful he had the crew he did. Just as Spock was about to leave he stopped the man by calling him back.

"Thank you…for…for the blood. That was…above and beyond the call of duty really. I just want you to know that I appreciate it." Spock tilted his head his posture relaxed, if still a little stiff for human liking.

"Captain it is imperative that you stay with this ship as long as possible. This is a unique crew and they need a captain just the same." It was a compliment, could just hear it in what he said.

"You would have do great as a captain Spock. Don't let me or Starfleet tell you other wise." For some reason after Spock had given him such a compliment he needed the Vulcan to know this.

"Perhaps, but it was never a roll I strove for or wish to have in the foreseeable future. I am content in my roll on board the Enterprise." They shared a moment then, where they understood each other more than before. They were cementing the foundations for that friendship they were supposed to be working on.

"Yeah, yeah we're all so god damned happy where we are. Me, I'm rather be on Belteir seven where the women find clothes offensive and are quick to wanting to please new comers."

Jim laughed out right and Spock straightened and ignored the doctor. He gave them both a parting nod and left the Sickbay. Leaving Jim to fend of McCoy's twenty questions and prodding hands.

Ok so thats all I have right now. I know where I want the story to go, I just need to get organized and keep writing. I hope you liked it. Oh and I don't know how well the flashbacks worked but I'm hoping it was ok. Lastly, I don't know if the title of the Story really goes or not but I tried...I may have failed but I tried too X)


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